Scottish Nephrops Working Group Report: Scottish Government response

2. Developing new markets

2.1. Gather marketing intelligence on new markets including consumer profiles, consumption trends, logistics, in country logistics and trade barriers (S-M)

2.2. Understand the market opportunities ensuring product specification is correct and if necessary, develop new products (with financially supported activities such as learning journeys, trade shows, meet the buyer events) (S-M)

2.3. Further develop retail markets to de-risk the heavy reliance on food service markets (M-L)

2.4. Initiate new product development projects for adding value to waste market opportunities (S-M)

Scottish Government response

We support the focus of these recommendations, particularly around ensuring efficiency in the supply chain by reducing waste by-products and making effective use of them through new market opportunities.

Scottish Development International's (SDI) food and drink in-market specialists in Europe and in our key priority markets are working with our companies to uncover and identify new opportunities, as well as feedback any insights and trends in their markets to the seafood sector. SDI works closely with Seafood Scotland to help promote our seafood overseas to new buyers and customers.

We will continue to press the UK Government to negotiate new trade deals which protect the interests of the fishing industry and help deliver positive outcomes for Scotland including low carbon routes to market.

Closer to home we have set out a clear commitment to develop the domestic markets for our seafood, with the launch of the Good Food Nation Bill, and the Local Food Strategy, both of which aim to put Scottish seafood at the fore of consumers purchasing within Scotland, and delivering more economic benefits to local coastal and island communities. The Sustainably Scottish brand will further enhance consumer awareness of the true quality and assurance that they can rely on in purchasing Scottish seafood.

See also our response under section 1: Recovering markets.